


A Group Of Remarkable People

by minyoongurt



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Dancing, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Inspired by The Greatest Showman (2017), Keith & Shiro (Voltron) Friendship, Married Allura/Shiro (Voltron), Mentioned Krolia (Voltron), Mentioned Romelle (Voltron), The Greatest Showman (2017) References, Trans Female Pidge | Katie Holt, Trans Male Matt Holt, i only listened to the greatest showman soundtrack while writing this, its only implied - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23781310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minyoongurt/pseuds/minyoongurt
Summary: [Inspired heavily by The Greatest Showman]---Shiro loses his job and decides now would be the perfect time to fulfill his dream of dedicating a whole show to the people who are looked down upon in society.---I'm bad at summaries
Relationships: Allura/Shiro (Voltron), Lance/Pidge | Katie Holt
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	A Group Of Remarkable People

**Author's Note:**

> First work in this fandom wow  
> I just re-watched VLD for the first time in a really long time and decided, hey, I'll write something.
> 
> I highly recommend watching The Greatest Showman if you haven't already, the fic will probably make a lot more sense.
> 
> Partially proofread

A lock clicked and shoes tapped over creaky floorboards as a man entered the small, leaky, aging apartment. He placed his briefcase down on his desk, a sigh escaping his lips. He took off his hat, resting it on the desk beside his briefcase. A woman with stark white hair and piercing blue eyes came into the room, in the process of folding sheets. 

“You’re home early.” She commented, folding the sheet down against her stomach and flattening it out. 

The man hummed softly, taking a slip of paper from his coat pocket and holding it out for her to see. “Permanently.” He sighed, allowing her to take the paper and look it over. 

She sighed, putting the sheet down on their couch and leaning against the piece of worn furniture. “Oh, Takashi…” She breathed out, looking at her husband with a defeated look in her eyes.

Takashi- Shiro, as he preferred to be called, shook his head as he shrugged his coat off. He looked to the woman with a warm smile and approached her slowly. He took the slip from her hand and allowed it to fall to the ground. He took one of her hands in his own and rested the other on her waist, his heart swelling when her free hand came to settle on his shoulder. 

“Don’t worry, ‘llura, we’re going to be okay.” Shiro whispered as he began to sway back and forth. “I have a few ideas, all of which hopefully end with you getting the life you deserve, the life I promised you.” 

You see, Allura came from a wealthy family, a family that didn’t have to worry about money or being in debt. Her father had been reluctant to let her go with someone of Shiro’s kind. Shiro grew up poor, very poor, he was merely the apprentice to a skilled tailor. Although after the tailor had died he had nothing, no where to stay, no food, nothing. That’s why at a young age he began working in the coal mines, all so he could save up enough money to one day give Allura, the woman of his dreams, a life worth living. They ran off together, buying a small apartment in Manhattan, right where dreams would come true. Their life was far from perfect, but they were happy. They had each other and that’s all that mattered.

He smiled as he spun his wife, chuckling lightheartedly as he watched her baby pink dress fan out. He pulled the woman back into his arms, closing his eyes and resting his head against her’s when she laid her head on his shoulder. 

“I was thinking, I could always go back to the mines. It’s a guaranteed job that brings in enough money to pay for the essentials.” Shiro said quietly as they slowly danced around the small apartment. “Or I could enlist, that’s always an option.” 

Allura sighed, looking up at her husband. “You know neither of us would enjoy that.” She said as she brought a band up to brush her fingers through Shiro’s short black hair.

He pressed his lips to her forehead. “You know, there’s always…” He pursed his lips in thought. “What if I opened a museum?” He asked. “With, y’know, attractions and such.”

Allura cocked her head to the side, his brows pinched together slightly. “A museum?” She echoed, sliding her hand back down to Shiro’s shoulder. “Takashi, what’s the point? A museum won’t last and we both know it. People get tired of staring at stuffed animals and plastic sculptures, my love.” She said with a breathy laugh.

“Who said I’m going to have stuffed animals and plastic statues?” He scoffed with a chuckle, deciding not to tell Allura that was exactly what he was originally going to do. Maybe some adjustments could be made.

She sighed as she let go of her husband and went to a clothes basket beside the couch, picking up a recently washed fitted sheet and folding it over her stomach. She flattened it out with her hands before placing it down on the couch with the other. Shiro looked at her skeptically, his brow arched and his arms crossed over his chest. He watched his wife, a smile coming to his lips. 

“But what if I already bought a building?” 

Allura turned to Shiro, her eyes wide and her face paling as if she had seen a ghost. “You  _ what _ ?” 

The man chuckled, walking over to his wife and running his hands over her arms. “I got a loan from the bank and purchased a building. You’ll love it, ‘llura, I promise.”

She sighed, shaking her head and looking away. “We have to repay that money Shiro. How on earth will we make enough money to repay the bank?” 

“I’m going to make people smile.” He kissed the top of her head. “If I can make people happy then I can give you the world, my beauty.”

Allura looked at her best friend-turned-husband and gave him an uneasy smile. “I’m trusting you, Takashi Shirogane.” She nudged him with her elbow and began to finish up folding their drycleaning.

Shiro smiled and nodded, going to sit down at his desk. He lit a candle before taking out a few leftover pieces of paper from his briefcase. With a worn pencil in hand he began to jot down ideas and sources he could contact.

It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

\-------

Takashi stepped off the train and made his way to the mines, pulling his coat tighter around his body. It was a short walk, but far from an enjoyable one. The mines weren’t a great place to work, he knew that better than anyone else. He didn’t like thinking about having to go back down there if this plan fell through. As he approached the mining site he watched as minecarts began rolling out of the depths. Cart after cart, emptying out men covered in coal dust and other soot and loading up with men only dusted with dirt to send them down into the mines. 

“Excuse me!” He called, jogging over to one of the men stepping out of one of the minecarts. “I’m looking for a Keith Kogane?” 

The miner looked at him up and down and soffed. “The freak? He’s among the last out.” He spat out built up saliva from his chewing tobacco. “I don’t know why you’d be looking for such a disgrace, sir.” He said before walking away.

Shiro smiled, tipping his hat to the man. He folded his hands behind his back and waited patiently as minecarts came rolling out of the mines. After a few minutes, the last cart arrived, one loaded with tools, explosives, crates of beer, and a single person. The person stepped out of the cart, his long black hair tied back in a ponytail, and dressed in well-worn and ripped clothing, covered in coal dust and dirt, more so than some of the other workers. Even through all of the soot, Shiro could see the purple splotches decorating his skin. 

He approached the miner quickly, a kind smile on his face. “Keith Kogane?” He asked.

The miner turned, looking at Shiro with wide, violet eyes, though his eyes narrowed after the shock wore away. “What?” He snapped. “You here to beat me? Rob me? Kill me?” He hissed, voice full of venom as he turned, going to walk away.

Shiro was quick to grab Keith’s arm, preventing him from leaving. “No, not at all, Mr. Kogane.” He smiled softly. “I would just like a word. I may even be able to offer you a new job.” He said, letting go of the man’s arm. 

Keith looked at him, his eyebrows drawn together as his eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, mister?” He scoffed.

“Here, come.” Shiro motioned for Keith to follow him as he stepped away from the custer of miners going to leave their job for the day. He turned to the smaller man, looking him over. “I think you’re gorgeous.” He breathed out, eyes wide with wonder.

Keith seemed taken aback by the comment. “W...What?” He stuttered, taking a half-step back. 

“Your skin, it’s gorgeous.” He hovered his hands over Keith’s arms. “It’s absolutely marvelous.” He said, taking his hat off and leaning down slightly so they were at eye level with each other. “How would you like to be in my show?” He asked, voice quieter than it was before. 

Keith hesitated, his arms wrapping around himself. “I don’t even know who you are, sir.” He mumbled quietly.

Shiro straightened up, holding out his hand. “Takashi Shirogane, call me Shiro. I’m going to be creating a show for unique individuals such as yourself. I would like you and your...incredible complexion to be one of my stars.”

Keith looked at the hand held out for him, slowly taking it and giving it a shake. “Alright, Shiro, what’s in it for me? Public humiliation?” He let out a breathy laugh as he dropped the man’s hand.

“Well, what isn’t in it for you? You’ll be out of this hell hole.” Shiro chuckled, looking around at their surroundings. “You’ll have a proper paying job, you’ll be treated fairly by your co-workers, and you’ll be free.”

Keith sighed, running his hands through the bangs that hung over his forehead. He chewed on his bottom lip, biting off the dead skin. He took a deep breath, looking up at the man. “Fine, I’m in.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m trusting you, Shiro.”

“Perfect.” Shiro grinned, taking a small piece of paper with the address on it from his coat pocket and holding it out to Keith. “See you there, Keith.”

He nodded to the short man, putting his top hat back on and turning on his heel. He made his way to the train station with a wide smile on his face. One down, who knows how many more to go.

\-------

Shiro sat down at a small desk within the building he had recently bought, tappening a few papers on the desk to straighten them out. He took his watch from his pocket, clicking it open. They were right on schedule, perfect. He looked up when a man about twice the size of himself came into the room and approached him. He stood from his seat and shook the man’s hand.

He marvelled at the man, eyes wide and filled with childish wonder. He looked down at the paperwork for a mere moment before looking back up. 

“How much did you say you can lift, Mr. Garrett?” He asked.

The man- Hunk, as he had introduced himself as, leaned in closer to Shiro. “Six hundred pounds.” He whispered, as if ashamed of his own strength.

Shiro’s eyebrows shot up. “Eight hundred pounds, you say? My my, Mr. Garrett, you sure are something!” He said enthusiastically, scribbling the information down on the paper.

Hunk let out a shocked noise and began to shake his head, laughing in a nervous panic. “No, no, Mr. Shirogane! I-I definitely said six!” He said as he waved his hands around. 

“Please, call me Shiro.” He insisted. “Don’t worry, my friend, no one needs to know the truth. Starting right now you are the strongest man in the world, lifting up to eight hundred pounds.” He said with a wink. “So, Mr. Garrett, you in?”

Hunk gave a nervous smile, but took a deep breath and nodded. He shook Shiro’s hand when it was extended to him before standing up. He straightened his outfit and bid Shiro goodbye before hurriedly leaving the building. 

A few minutes passed before two people came in, the smaller of the two in a cloak that swallowed up their small frame and the taller in a pair of slacks and a coat that seemed a few sizes too big. They sat down across from Shiro, both visibly uneasy, the smaller more so than the other. Shiro extended a hand to each of them, a kind smile coming to his lips when they both shook his hands. 

“Tell me about yourselves.” He said, leaning forward in his seat and folding his arms over the desk.

The pair exchanged looks before the taller spoke up. “My name is Matt Holt, this is my sister Katie-”

“Pidge.” The smaller of the two- Pidge -said, her eyes focused on her lap.

“Right, this is my sister Pidge Holt. Um...we specialize in trapeze, Pidge especially.” Matt said with a proud smile on his face. “Shiro, this would be a great opportunity for us but we’re-”

“How do we know you’re not going to be like the rest of them?” The young girl spoke up, looking at Shiro through her strawberry blonde bangs. “How do we know you’re not going to use us as a laughing stock just to put a few pretty pennies in your pockets?”

“Pidge-”

“No, Matt!” She stood up, the chair she was sat in screeching against the flooring. “This is all too good to be true!”

Shiro shook his head with a small chuckle. “Ms. Holt, I can assure you that this isn’t meant to exploit you. I just want to introduce our small-minded world to a whole other group of people they’ve never thought twice about.” He gestured for her to sit back down, relief flooding him when she did. “Your job here will be to simply be yourself, do what you’re best at and make people happy.” He leaned forward over the desk. “Show them who the real Katie Holt is.”

The girl smiled, nodding slowly and looking back down at her lap. Shiro could tell she was nervous, but he knew there was the ability to steal the show hiding somewhere in her. He had a good feeling about this duo. 

“You two will do great.” He said earnestly, extending his hands for the sibling to shake. “I can’t wait to see what you accomplish, my friends.”

Matt was first to shake the man’s hand, a grin plastered on his face. His grip was firm, but not too firm. Pidge hesitated for a moment before extending her hand to give Shiro’s hand a small shake. Her hands were more rough and calloused than her brother’s, which Shiro could only assume was from working on their act. What he didn’t know was that she worked every day at a lumber mill to provide for their family, forced to be the person she vowed never to be.

The pair got up, bidding Shiro goodbye as they left, their arms linked together to make sure no one would separate them.

Shiro smiled, jotting down a few things about the pair. He knew this was going to be a success, he could feel it. With the money earned he could easily buy Allura her dream house.  _ Easily _ . He was going to give his wife the world, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

He looked up as more people filed in, a proud smile on his face.

\-------

“I can’t go out there.”

Shiro looked to Keith, his eyebrow arched. The coal miner had cleaned up nicely. After a bath to clean the dirt off his skin the unique purple splotches had become more visible. His inkly black hair had been twisted into a delicate braid that laid on his shoulder, a red ribbon tying it off at the end. He wore a red leotard with a deep v-neck, shimmery details lining the seams and a bit of red tulle draped over his exposed shoulders. It showed off his skin perfectly. Allura had helped create most of the outfits and Shiro knew she recommended something much more masculine for the ravenette to dress in, but Keith had insisted on the beautifully made red attire. 

“What do you mean? Of course you can go out there! They’ll love you!” Shiro said enthusiastically while straightening his red and gold jacket. 

“I don’t know, Shiro…” Keith grumbled, absentmindedly tugging on the black cufflets around his wrists. “I stick out like a sore thumb, nobody will like me.” He sighed. “Look at me, Shiro!” He gestured to himself. “I’m a freak.”

“Hey! We’re all freaks here, bud.” 

They turned to look at Pidge, who was awkwardly adjusting her emerald green leotard. There was intricate beading of golds and lighter greens over her chest, a significantly higher neckline compared to Keith’s outfit, and frills of ribbons around all the seams of the outfit. She had a pair of sheer tights on to attempt to hide her bruised shins and knees, small sparkles adorning the material to give it a bit of shine. Her feet and ankles were wrapped up in a gold fabric, mostly to keep her from slipping during a stunt. She looked beautiful with her hair pulled up into a ponytail, keeping it out of her face. She looked much better than when Shiro first met her.   
  


“What makes you so special?” Keith countered, eyeing the girl up and down with his arms crossed over his chest.

Pidge’s eyes narrowed as she copied his stance. “You and I aren’t so different, Keith, trust me.” She sneered before going to find Matt and prepare for what could either make or break their career.

Shiro was quiet for a few minutes before he began to chuckle lightheartedly. “Oh boy, what have I created?” He said to himself as he looked around. He looked to Keith, who smiled back at him.

“I think you’ve created a shitshow, Shiro.” The ravenette said. “Good luck with all this, Mr. Ringleader.” He said before slipping away to squeeze himself into a group of other misfits.

Shiro watched the male go. He took a deep breath, cracking his knuckles. He turned, grabbing his top hat and putting it on before running his fingers over the brim. This was going to go well, he could feel it. He took a better look at the people he had collected- befriended. There was Hunk, the weightlifter, with Romelle, the albino woman, perched gracefully on his shoulder. Coran, a man with an impressively long mustache and beard, was talking animatedly with Ezor, a heavily tattooed woman with pink hair. 

“Alright, everyone!” Shiro boomed, a proud smile on his face as he walked to the curtain separating them from the people paying to see their show. “I have faith in every single one of you! Tonight is going to be an amazing night, I know it. You’re all great people and I know you will blow the minds of everyone out there.” He placed a hand on the curtain. “Now, show them what you’re really made of.” He drew open the curtain, watching as his ragtag showstoppers ran out into the ring. 

Shiro gave everyone a moment before he entered, arms spread wide and his face lit up with glee. He gazed around at all those that had paid to see his show. The stands weren’t quite filled to capacity, but it was definitely more people than he anticipated. He spotted Allura, stood off away from the crowd so she could get a clear view of everything. She was easy to spot with her white hair tied up in a bun. He threw a wink to his wife, who smiled in return. 

As the show went on he began to spot more and more faces he recognized. James Griffin, a well-known critic for the newspaper. Keith’s mother Krolia, who Shiro had briefly met one evening and who had the same purple markings covering her skin. The biggest shock was to see Lance McClain, a playwright from New York. That’s when a realization dawned on him. 

The show came and went in what felt like a matter of seconds. The roar of applause was deafening, it sent shock waves rippling through Shiro’s body. His eyes found Allura’s in the crowd. Her eyes shone with stars and a huge smile was on her face as she witnessed what her husband had created. 

Shiro took one last bow with the rest of the performers before everyone began to shuffle backstage. The ringleader was on a mission this time around, politely passing by his stars while shimmying off his red jacket. He hung it on a coat hanger before grabbing his coat and scarf.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Matt asked, watching Shiro with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed.

“To get me a partner.” He said as he pulled his coat on and threw his scarf around his neck. 

Shiro ran out of the building, holding onto his hat so it wouldn’t blow away. He had his heart set on dragging a certain playwright into it. It would definitely make their ticket sales increase and their publicity to boost. He couldn’t pass up this opportunity. A smile grew on his face when he spotted the man he had been after.

“Mr. McClain!” He called, waving the man down with a smile on his lips.

Lance looked up from his watch, his eyebrow arched and his head tilted to the side. “Mr. Shirogane.” He tipped his hat in acknowledgement. 

“May I have a word?” 

The playwright nodded, snapping his watch shut and slipping it into his pocket. He folded his arms over his chest, looking to Shiro expectantly. 

“I see you attended my show.” Shiro hummed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. “What did you think of it?” He inquired. 

Lance hummed softly, gazing at the carriages travelling through the streets. “It’s something, definitely something.” He said with a nod. “Interesting.” 

Shiro nodded, lips pursed in thought. “Say, Mr. McClain, how about I treat you to a drink?”

The corners of Lance’s lips quirked up slightly as he nodded. “I wouldn’t mind that one bit.” 

The ringmaster smiled, turning to walk towards a bar located just on the other side of the street. He had a good feeling about this one.

Shiro held the door for the other male as they stepped inside. He took off his hat, coat, and scarf, hanging them up on a coat hanger. He stepped up to the bar and took a seat at one of the stools as Lance mimicked his actions.

“Two shots.” He said to the bartender, who nodded swiftly and filled the two small glasses in front of the men.

“How would you feel about being a part of my show?” Shiro asked, taking one of the shots and easily downing it.

Lance laughed, picking up the shot of liquor. “You must be insane.” He scoffed, throwing back the alcohol before motioning for the bartender to get them another round.

“Hear me out,” Shiro said as he turned towards the other male. “You could get away from that city life of yours and come here, be part of what I’ve created.” He said, raising a brow and picking up the second shot. “You know, you could play it safe and stay where you are and keep doing what you’re doing, or you could take a little risk and come join me.”

Lance snorted, a small laugh escaping him. “Quite frankly, I like my “city life”.” He downed the second shot before getting up from the stool he was sat in. “I don’t need to join your show and spend my days sweeping peanut shells from the stands. If I join you then I’ll be nothing more than a laughingstock. I’m good just to do me while you do you.” He said as he went to go get his coat.

“Don’t you want to know what it feels like to truly laugh? Truly live?” Shiro smiled, tapping his finger against the shot glass in his hand. “Here you have the freedom to be whoever you want to be, you don’t have to pretend to be a stuck-up city boy. You can be yourself with a judgement-free environment.” He finally threw back the shot, placing the glass down on the bar. “Now that’s a deal worth taking, but I guess that decision is yours.” He shrugged, turning back towards the bartender.

Lance paused, his coat held in his hands. He let out a small breath. “Well when you put it that way it sounds intriguing, but to leave everything would cost me immensely. What percentage of the show would I be getting?” He asked, hanging his coat back up before turning back to face the man.

A grin curled on Shiro’s lips. “Of course you’d want to take part of the show, of course. I can offer seven and we can settle this.” He said, standing from his barstool and looking at the playwright with a slick smile.

“I’ll take fifteen.” Lance countered, a smirk on his lips.

“I’d do eight.” He said, taking a step closer to the other male as his eyebrow quirked. 

“Twelve.”

“Nine.”

“Ten.” Lance extended his hand for them to shake on it.

Shiro thought for a moment before nodding. “You’ve got a deal, my friend. Ten percent to your name.” He said as they shook hands firmly. “Welcome to the show.”

\-------

“Most of the people in the show live here, it’s better than on the streets.” Shiro explained as he showed Lance around the building. “They take care of everything, I don’t have to do much. I’ve offered but I’m always shooed away.” He said with a small laugh, leading his new partner up to one of the higher levels of viewing so they could get a better look at the ring. 

Lance gave a breathy laugh. “It’s probably just to repay you. They don’t live easy li-”

He stared with wide eyes as the single most beautiful woman we had ever seen swung towards them, her legs hooked over a bar and her arms outstretched. Time seemed to slow down as they made eye contact. When blue met amber Lance’s heart stopped. Emotioned flooded him as he tried to process what had just happened while watching her swing back in the opposite direction.

“Who is she?” He breathed out, unable to take his eyes off of her as she swung gracefully and eventually made her way back down to the ground.

A curious expression came to Shiro’s face as he eyed Lance. “Katie,” He said softly. “She goes by Pidge.” He placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. “Come, let me introduce you to some of our performers.” He said before leading his collegue down to the backstage area, housing most of the misfits.

They entered the cozy, lantern-lit area, and were met with quiet chatter. Shiro gazed around at his stars, nodding to himself. Keith was sitting off on his own, dressed in a long striped nightshirt with a thin blanket draped over his shoulders as he combed through his hair. Matt was standing by one of the lanterns as Romelle helped with bandages wrapped tight around his chest. They were conversating quietly, too quiet for anyone to hear. Hunk was already fast asleep, snoring periodically as his chest rose and fell. 

Shiro opened his mouth to speak when Coran came marching up to them, his eyes narrowed.

“Who is this man?!” The man demanded, leaning close to Lance and inspecting him closely. “He better not be one of those buggars trying to nab our money!” Coran said with the stomp of his foot.

Shiro placed his hands on the bearded man’s shoulders and carefully backed him up away from Lance, who was looking mildly uncomfortable. “Coran, Coran, it’s fine.” He chuckled. “This is Lance McClain.” He said as he stepped back, gesturing to the man beside him.

The room hushed down into a quiet murmur as all the heads turned to face the two men. Well, except Hunk. Keith put his comb down and got to his feet, pulling the blanket tighter around his body.

“Lance McClain?” He echoed, his eyebrow twitching. He slowly walked up to Shiro and Lance, standing beside Coran. “Keith.” He extended his splotchy purple hand.

Lance reached out and took Keith’s hand, giving it a shake with a sly smile on his face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Keith.” He said as he let go of the other male’s hand.

“What’s your act?” 

Lance turned when he heard a new voice, his eyes meeting those of Pidge, the beautiful trapeze artist who had tickled his fancy. “I don’t...I don’t have an act.” He sputtered, smiling awkwardly and rubbing the back of his neck.

Pidge crossed her arms over her chest. “We all have an act.” Her arms fell to her sides as she moved through the room, one arm coming up to pull her hair from the ponytail. It fell just under her shoulders, a small kink in it from the rubber band that was previously holding it up. To Lance, she was incredible.

He visibly deflated, a small sigh leaving his lips. He was usually such a ladies man, had he lost his touch? He just wanted to impress her, just like she had impressed him. He turned his head when he left a hand on his shoulder.

“She’s a tough cookie, don’t worry. She’ll open up to you.” Shiro said reassuringly, giving Lance’s shoulder a pat.

It was like that with a lot of the misfits he had befriended. They were untrusting of normal people, unless you were Matt Holt. It had taken Shiro so long to earn some of their trust, and it was something he would cherish forever, he just hoped the same kind of trust would be gifted to Lance. He knew most, if not all, of the performers had a rough past and this show- this...circus was all they had. Shiro was determined to give them a better life, a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, and hopefully Lance could help him with that. Hopefully they would trust Lance like they trusted him.

“How about I introduce you to everyone else?” Shiro offered.

Lance nodded, giving his new business partner a small smile. With that, he was led off to various people in the room, shaking their hands and learning their names, taking in their unique qualities. Maybe taking Shiro up on his offer was a good idea after all.

\-------

Shows with Lance went splendidly. He fit in perfectly, much to many people’s surprise. The energy he gave off brought up the mood in any room. He really was meant for this sort of thing. All the performers liked him quite a lot, turns out he was a very friendly person and was easy to get along with. The only person who he never really got to connect with was Pidge. She was always kind of distant around him, spending most of her time with Matt or even Hunk. Lance wanted nothing more than to get to know her, be her friend, and tell her how beautiful she is.

That’s why he decided to approach her one evening when he found her practicing in the ring. She was wrapping her hands up to prevent rope burn when he cleared his throat, his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks. She turned to him, her eyebrows pinched together.

“What do you want, Lance?” She asked, looking back down at her hands. 

He sighed, removing his hands from his pocket and slowly walking to her. “Can we talk?” He asked. “About, y’know, stuff.” He said with a nervous blush on his cheeks as he approached her. 

Pidge eyed him warily, straightening the tanktop and shorts she was in. She held onto one of the ropes and looked at him with an expression that could only read “Go on”. 

Lance smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to form words. “I just-” He took a deep breath in hopes of collecting himself. “I think I’m in love with you.”

The woman’s eyes widened as she stared at him, her breath catching in her throat. “You...You love me…?” She asked, looking at him in what could only be confusion.

“Okay, I know it’s a little straightforward and crazy but-but I really do and I know you’re the one for me and-”

“Lance.” Pidge cut off his rambling, her knuckles white from the tightness of her grip on the rope. “You don’t understand, do you?” She scoffed, taking a small step closer to him. “I can’t be who you want me to be, I just can’t, society won’t allow it. If people saw you with me you’d be shunned, frowned at, you’d face a whole other world that’s completely different than the one you think you know.” Her eyes slowly found his. “You’re meant to marry some wealthy woman with a perfect body and a great family from some bullshit place in New York. You’re not meant to be with someone like me.” She sighed. “That’s fate.” 

Lance was quick to shake his head. What she was saying was simply incorrect. “Fate can be changed. I was meant to be yours and you were meant to be mine.” He reached out and carefully took her hand, holding it as he would a delicate rose. “Do you love me?” He asked in a hushed whisper. 

Pidge stared up at him with wide eyes, her lip caught between her teeth. “Well yes, but-” She struggled to find her words. “What you want is impossible to give you.” She whispered back.

He shook his head. “It’s not impossible.” He brought his other hand up to rest gingerly on her lightly freckled cheek. “We could make it work. I would give up everything to be with you, Katie.” 

She sighed, looking down at the ground and pinching the bridge of her nose. “I...I can’t.” She shook her head, taking a step away from him. “I’m sorry, Lance, I just...I need a little time.” She returned her gaze to his face, giving him a small, forced smile. “I’m really sorry. I’ll-I’ll get back to you.” She quickly turned on her heel and rushed out of the ring, running her hands through her hair.

Lance sighed, running his hands over his face. At least he tried. He turned and made his way to the exit,shoving his hands into his pockets and hanging his head.

\-------

Shows continued as usual, quickly gaining more and more popularity. Lance couldn’t be happier with his new friends, his new  _ family _ . They were all so wonderful. He would never have chosen this path in life if it wasn’t for Shiro. He would never have stayed if it wasn’t for Katie.

“Hey, Lance!”

He turned, smiling when he saw Shiro approaching him. The show was minutes away from starting, why wasn’t the ringmaster dressed in his eye-catching red jacket? Lance tilted his head to the side when he noticed the jacket draped over his colleague's arm.

“How about you lead the show tonight? Instead of being my right hand man?” Shiro asked with a smile, holding out the jacket and taking off his top hat, holding that out as well.

Lance was taken aback by the question, his cheeks flushing a light pink. “Are you sure?” He asked as he took the jacket and hat. “What will you be doing?” He asked, tilting his head to the side like a curious puppy.

Shiro shrugged, leaning on his walking cane. “I don’t really know. I may take Allura on a trip, I may start a family, it’s still to be determined.” He said casually, a fond smile on his face.

Lance’s face twisted in confusion. “Y-You mean you won’t be here? You mean you’re-”

“Making you the new owner of the building and the new ringmaster? Yes, yes I am.” He placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “You’re the only person who I trust with this place. Take care of it, my friend, I look forward to seeing the show again in the future.” Shiro winked, taking a step back and tipping an invisible hat. He turned on his heel and strode out of the building, nodding politely to some of the friends he had made along the way.

Lance stood in shock for a moment before looking down to the jacket and hat in his possession. He smiled, his chest filling with a sense of pride. He was so caught up in the shock of it all that he didn’t notice the quiet footsteps approaching him. He was snapped out of his trance by a soft pair of lips pressing against his cheek. He looked up, his heart thumping in his chest when he saw the familiar eyes of the trapeze artist that had caught his eye what felt like forever ago. He smiled.

“You’ve got this.” Pidge whispered, placing her hand on his arm for only a few seconds before moving it away again.

“I’ve got this.” He said with a deep breath and a nod. He pulled the jacket on and put the hat on his head. He grabbed his walking cane, holding it tightly in his hand as he turned to the amazing people the show revolved around. He smiled at them all.

“Well,” He began, glancing briefly to the woman at his side before turning his attention back to the rest of the group.

“Who’s ready for another amazing show?”

  
  


_ fin. _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> twt: @HarmlessNCT


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